Motivational post time!
It’s
impossible to pin down exactly what it takes to become the next name on a
Barnes & Noble bookshelf. Being good at writing isn't always one of them—wow,
already my cynicism wins out. Sorry guys, I'm really not good at this whole
motivation thing. Grim realities aside, there are some things that you as a
person should possess in order to improve your writing. Changing every facet of
your being to fit this model won't necessarily get you published, but I guarantee it
won't hurt. So let the mind-molding begin!
1. Curiosity. On
top of resolving pesky cat infestations, it’s the driving force which makes the
hours of brain-melting research on the political climate of the Chang Dynasty
legitimately enjoyable.
The Chang Dynasty: A time of great turmoil for the imperial Chess Club.
Although
writing is a creative exercise, you can’t build anything without having a
strong foundation; in this case, information. If you aren’t constantly challenging
yourself to expand your knowledge base, your writing will start to stagnate.
The more you know, the more information you have to draw from and use in your
writing. Not to mention that seeking out more reading material will in turn
help improve your own writing, either by learning from the author’s mistakes or
stealing all the things they did right.
It’s only plagurism if
they catch you! But no, don’t.
2. Perseverance. The
entire writing process is one giant shitstorm, and you need to attack it with
the same stupid determination shown in winning an argument in the comments
section of YouTube. This can’t be stressed enough. You could have an awesome
imagination and a commanding presence over the English language, but if you
can’t stick it out through the rough patches of a story then how can you expect
to finish it? Writing is hard work, and being any good at it means you have to
force yourself to keep plugging away at your keyboard even when every word you
write makes you want to vomit all over the screen so you don’t have to look at
them anymore. Even when you aren’t feeling inspired, you have to keep
practicing; the more you practice the better you’ll get, even if your muse has
taken a coffee break. There will be more concrete setbacks as well, like having
your manuscript turned down from a publisher or ten. Keep in mind that there
are tons of factors that publishing companies draw on when deciding whether or
not to take on your novel, so being turned down is not necessarily a stamp of
condemnation on your work. All you can do is suck it up and hold ceremonial
bonfires of all your rejection slips. It’s got all the catharsis of meditation,
but with more fire.
Pictured above: writing.
3. Confidence. You have
to believe that what you’re doing is worth all the time, effort, and emotional
agony you pour into it day after day. If you don’t believe that your story is
great, how will you convince anyone else it is? You have to develop the brass
genitals needed to walk up to someone, shove your words under their nose, and
then listen to them talk about all the things they hated about it. Even if your
ego is bulging up to the size of Chris Hemsworth's ridiculous biceps, that won't stop people from lining up to put
you down. You have to be full of yourself enough not to let them trip you up.
So go ahead and let yourself believe you're the best writer in the world for a
while. I've heard that reading bad Twilight fanfiction can help with
that.
4. Modesty. At
the same time, you have to understand that despite the rousing 2 minute
pep-talk you recite to your mirror every morning, chances are your writing
isn’t perfect. Take criticism with a grain of salt because not everyone knows
what they’re talking about, but don’t be afraid to use their advice. It might
feel like you’re losing your integrity by changing your work to reflect what
another person thinks, but there’s only so far you can go all by yourself.
Having an outside perspective is invaluable for getting a point of view on your
writing that you’re way too close to see for yourself. Don’t be afraid to be
wrong.
5. Passion. If
you don’t feel strongly about what you do, you’ll have a hard time doing it
well. Writing is really hard, and you have to convince yourself that you love
or hate it unequivocally if you ever want to accomplish something you’re proud
of. Find the essence of what makes you want to write and never let yourself
lose sight of it.
Now get out there and do some writing!
Now get out there and do some writing!
Wizard http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71buEYGjyIL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
Chang http://screencrave.frsucrave.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/community-chang-la-5-17-12.jpg
Chang http://screencrave.frsucrave.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/community-chang-la-5-17-12.jpg
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